East of Eden: The Diary of Eve
by Pouring Rain
Summary: The story of Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden, told from Eve's point of view in diary form.


Note: This is a work of fiction. This is the author's personal interpretation of Adam, Eve, the Garden of Eden, and the expulsion from the garden. This work is based on Genesis 2 and 3, and is told from the perspective of Eve.  
  
Day 1  
  
Today is the beginning of my life. I awoke after what felt like an eternal darkness into the world of G-d. This strange new place is beautiful. There is a peace in the air, a certain calm that runs through it. The heavens above are a deep blue, and the ground is green and healthy. The trees stand like silent guardians to the wonders of this land. A gentle zephyr flows through the land from the west, weaving its way through the forest scenery of plants and shrubbery. Animals roam the land and soar through the sky. They live in a remarkable peace. Cats and rodents, fish and bears, all live together harmoniously. There is one animal that is like me. He is called Adam. I feel a deep connection with him. It is as if I am made from a part of him. I wish to explore this land further, and to understand the wonders that compose it.  
  
Day 2  
I explored the garden further today. G-d has told me that I may wander as I please, and eat from whichever tree that I desire. But, there is one tree that I must never touch. It rests in the center of the garden. I do not know what this tree is, but G-d has told me that I must not eat from this tree, lest I die.  
I do not understand this concept of death. It is the opposite of life, but what is that? Is life what I am now, and death what I was before? Is life this garden, and death the eternal blackness?  
On a lighter note, I have been spending more time with Adam. He is a faithful companion. I believe that G-d put us together for a reason.  
  
Day 3  
While I was wandering through the garden today with Adam, I found myself separated from him and at the forbidden tree. I have been trying to avoid it, for fear of this thing called death. When I entered the clearing, I thought that I heard a voice. I looked around, and no creature was in sight. As I turned around to leave the clearing, I heard a low, hissing voice, more clearly. "Did, perhaps, G-d say: 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?'" I was frightened, but I decided to respond. "We may eat from any tree in the garden, except for this tree. It is forbidden. Should we eat or touch it, we will die."  
Just then, a head emerged from the branches of the trees. Its eyes were small black beads in tiny slits in its head. As the rest of its body was exposed to me, I saw what it was. It was Nachash. "You will surely not die," said Nachash, "The day that you eat from the tree is when your eyes will be opened and you will be like G-d, knowing of both good and bad."  
I took one of the fruit off of the tree. I looked down at the fruit in my hands. It was a deep red, with leaves of the purest green. I looked up at the tree. It was bathed in light from the sun, shining a warm golden yellow. The tree was beautiful, as were its fruits. As I held it in my hand, contemplating eating this fruit, Adam entered the clearing. I handed him a fruit. Together, we ate from the forbidden tree.  
All of the sudden, I felt like my perfect world had shattered. My eyes had been opened. I saw the good and evil in things, and I saw my nakedness and felt shame. Adam saw his, and we both fled from each other. I found fig leaves and fashioned them into a garment to cover myself up. I saw a cat eating a mouse, and a hare fighting with a stoat. I am embarrassed and I now see evil, alongside the beauty that I formerly believed existed everywhere.  
  
Day 4  
Today, I was hiding in the bushes in shame. I am so embarrassed. I am no longer comfortable in my own skin, and I am ashamed of it. Adam is also going through the same ordeal as I am, as he too ate from the forbidden tree. I hope that G-d does not discover what we did, as he forewarned us on the dangers of eating from the tree. I believe that I hear G-d calling now. I must hide from him, for my nakedness is disgraceful.  
  
Day 5  
Today I am writing from a foreign place, outside of the garden. Adam and I have been banished, never to return again. I will start at the beginning of our encounter with G-d, and perhaps this will better explain our situation.  
Yesterday, G-d called out to Adam while we were in the garden. Adam hid because he too was ashamed of his nakedness. When G-d found him, G-d wanted to know how Adam discovered that he was naked. "Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you not to eat from?" G-d was furious. Adam was scared, and said, "It was she! The woman who you made from me, she gave me the fruit from the tree!"  
I was standing next to Adam. This was when G-d directed his questions to me. His booming voice came down to be, furiously screaming "What have you done?" Trembling, I called back to him, "The snake, Nachash, deceived me! He tricked me and I ate it!"  
G-d called to Nachash the snake, and brought him to Adam and myself. G-d told Nachash that what he had done was terrible, and that he would be receiving a big punishment for doing so. "Accursed are you beyond all the cattle and beyond all beasts of the field. You shall go about on your stomach, and eat the dust of the earth for as long as you live. You will forever be enemies with humans. They will step on your heads, and you will bite their heels."  
For a moment, I felt relieved that G-d was putting the blame of this on the snake, and that I might be spared. I was very wrong. "I will make you suffer greatly, " he said to me. "Child bearing will be painful. You will lust for your husband, and he shall rule over you." I was devastated, but continued to hope that at least my husband would be spared punishment. It was my own stupidity to be led by the snake to eating the tree, and I should not have given him the forbidden fruit. G-d saw this, and made it clear when giving Adam his punishment. "You listened to your wife, and ate from the tree which I commanded you not to eat from. The ground will be cursed because of you; through suffering shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles shall sprout for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground from which you are taken. You are dust, and to the dust you shall return."  
G-d had spoken. Our punishments were settled, and we would be leaving the garden shortly. I quickly went to take a final look at the garden that I had called home for such a short time. I looked at the sky, the earth, and the water. I looked at each tree and plant, making my own silent farewells. I looked at animals, wishing to be able to live with them in the garden. As I finished my sad good-bye, I heard G-d calling. He gave Adam and myself garments made from the skins of animals, to cover up our nakedness.  
It was with that that we were banished from the garden, to work the soil from which man was taken. As we left the gates, we heard a voice speaking. It spoke in a strange tone of anger mixed with mockery, saying "Behold man has become like the Unique One among us, knowing good and bad; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever!"  
I looked back, and saw an angel, and flame of a turning sword. I do not understand what the purpose of this sword was. Perhaps to guard us from this "tree of life?" The sword is resting to the place that Adam calls Eden. I suppose that we will forever live in this place, East of Eden. 


End file.
